A faculty member approached my desk, "you have a minute?" It was a typical occurrence in my role at The Island School, and one of my favorite moments of the day. I have always loved supporting students and helping other faculty members support students. The faculty member asked if I would check in on her advisee who was having a hard time adjusting to the program and claiming she wanted to leave. I left my desk-work and headed to the dock where she was sitting. I could tell she had been crying and was perhaps worried she was getting in trouble. I sat down with her, looking at the water and just waited. Eventually she said "you know I'm not ungrateful for this experience, I just don't fit here." There it was, the conversation started. I listened, she cried, I encouraged her to keep talking. Really I did very little in the conversation. Sometimes people just need to talk. At the end of the semester she was given the award for the most growth of any student in her semester. Afterwards she asked me if I remembered our talk on the dock. She didn't realize that those talks are why I work in education.
I have learned how to support students through emotionally challenging times. I've learned through experience, workshops, classes, conferences and feedback. Having worked in study abroad programs, many students faced unexpected challenges of homesickness, cultural adjustment, social anxiety, or unexpected life events. I think my interest and dedication to this field of work came from my own experiences. When I studied abroad in college I had a very difficult time adjusting and almost withdrew from my program. My director spent time listening, comforting, and supporting me. Needless to say, I had an amazing experience and ended up not only staying after my program, but returning with a research grant. This experience inspired me to help other students navigate the difficulties of studying abroad.
When I first moved to Mexico I was overwhelmed by the challenge. I was younger than some of my students, I had just moved there, and I was relatively inexperienced. Quickly I noticed that students did not necessarily need me to fix things for them, but that they needed someone to listen to them and acknowledge how they were feeling. I attended trainings and workshops, and continued to mature and grow as an educator.
At The Island School I was the Girls' Dorm Head among other roles, and furthered my skills at supporting students. The Island School was a challenging semester for everyone; be it the physical challenge of running a half marathon, the emotional challenge of being far from home without internet and cell phones, or the intellectual challenge of rigorous course work. I began to feel more confident in my skills and recognized that I not only enjoyed supporting adolescents, but was also competent in the area. I attended the Stanley King Counseling Conference and reaffirmed my commitment, understanding and dedication to help adolescents work through the emotional difficulties they may face. While I will be working in a different setting without the elements of cultural adjustment and homesickness, I have realized that what I really love is helping students overcome challenges of any kind. I hope to continue to support students in a different setting because adolescents can be a very difficult time for so many high school students.
As I prepare to enter a new job in a new school as an administrator, teacher and advisor I am most excited for my work with students individually. Sometimes people ask me why I like being a Dean, and if I like discipline, to which I reply "yes." Discipline is another form of support for individual students and it provides an incredible opportunity for students to grow and learn. Building the relationships and helping students through emotionally difficult times allows them to be more self-aware, to be better students and better community members. I believe that building the trust between teachers and students helps students feel cared for, safe and more excited about learning. I also believe that students who feel this way are less likely to need discipline meetings, and when they do it is often because something else is occurring. I think that as a private school administrator these skills will help me immensely to form the trust with students necessary to allow them to excel.
I have learned how to support students through emotionally challenging times. I've learned through experience, workshops, classes, conferences and feedback. Having worked in study abroad programs, many students faced unexpected challenges of homesickness, cultural adjustment, social anxiety, or unexpected life events. I think my interest and dedication to this field of work came from my own experiences. When I studied abroad in college I had a very difficult time adjusting and almost withdrew from my program. My director spent time listening, comforting, and supporting me. Needless to say, I had an amazing experience and ended up not only staying after my program, but returning with a research grant. This experience inspired me to help other students navigate the difficulties of studying abroad.
When I first moved to Mexico I was overwhelmed by the challenge. I was younger than some of my students, I had just moved there, and I was relatively inexperienced. Quickly I noticed that students did not necessarily need me to fix things for them, but that they needed someone to listen to them and acknowledge how they were feeling. I attended trainings and workshops, and continued to mature and grow as an educator.
At The Island School I was the Girls' Dorm Head among other roles, and furthered my skills at supporting students. The Island School was a challenging semester for everyone; be it the physical challenge of running a half marathon, the emotional challenge of being far from home without internet and cell phones, or the intellectual challenge of rigorous course work. I began to feel more confident in my skills and recognized that I not only enjoyed supporting adolescents, but was also competent in the area. I attended the Stanley King Counseling Conference and reaffirmed my commitment, understanding and dedication to help adolescents work through the emotional difficulties they may face. While I will be working in a different setting without the elements of cultural adjustment and homesickness, I have realized that what I really love is helping students overcome challenges of any kind. I hope to continue to support students in a different setting because adolescents can be a very difficult time for so many high school students.
As I prepare to enter a new job in a new school as an administrator, teacher and advisor I am most excited for my work with students individually. Sometimes people ask me why I like being a Dean, and if I like discipline, to which I reply "yes." Discipline is another form of support for individual students and it provides an incredible opportunity for students to grow and learn. Building the relationships and helping students through emotionally difficult times allows them to be more self-aware, to be better students and better community members. I believe that building the trust between teachers and students helps students feel cared for, safe and more excited about learning. I also believe that students who feel this way are less likely to need discipline meetings, and when they do it is often because something else is occurring. I think that as a private school administrator these skills will help me immensely to form the trust with students necessary to allow them to excel.